Presser foot for sewing machines



y 6 1939. H. HACKLANDER ET AL 63 PRESSER FOOT FOR SEWING MACHINES FiledSept. 19, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet l FJ6- I HG; Z H 26 v W Mi WJTNESSES:INVENTORS:

T TORNEYS.

5Q Hans fiacklcmaier& Harald JI/eI/esamte 7249162524 BY 7 M y 1939- H.HACKLANDER ET AL I 2,158,563

PRESSER FOOT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Sept. 19, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 2WITNESSES INVENTbRS:

Q Hans Hackhmder 8L 5 g By fiaroldlLel sconic RNEYS.

WITNESS i Y 5 M M 52 55 fiacmanderz y 1939. H HACKLANDER ET AL ,158,

PRESSER FOOT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Sept 19, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

FIG 32.:

1 16i 2%. v 5167:2211 5;\MM' 52 .55 2 .3 4 72 2 INVENTO'RS:

Patented May 16, 1939 UNITED s'ra'res PATENT PRESSER FOOT FOR SEWINGMACHINES Applicationseptember I9, "1935, Serial No. 102.4%

20 Claims.

This invention relates to presser feet for sewi'ng machines; and it hasmore particular referenceto .presser .feet useful in ;connection withsewing 'machines of :the .type featured in a copending-applicationSerial No..101,588, filed by us concurrentlyherewith, and designed .toform coveredsleamsafter themethod disclosed in another co-pending:application Serial No. 1,885 filed ,by Norman VuChristensen on January15, 19.35. In the referred to method, .the fabric is arranged withedgemargins thereof placed in upstanding abutted relation, the edgestrimmed, the abutted margins ,turnedlaterally into superimposedrelationfiat upon the fabric, and said margins finally united-byecentral line of stitchespassing-through all three fabric thicknesses atthe fold, and .parallel outerlines of stitching through the fabric atopposite sides=of the fold, with crosswise loops overlying the foldandconnecting the outer stitch lines.

The.aim of .our inventionis to provide a simple and reliable presser.foot with means capable, as the fabric is advanced in the machine, oftrimmingtheabuttededges and folding over the edges laterally asaforesaid, and .of holding .the fold down for presentation-to thestitching instrumentalities of the machine.

.In connection with a presser foot having the above attributes,,-it isafurther object of ourinvention to provide improved means which willcompensate -for variations in the thickness of the fabric at oppositesides of the fold, and which .will progressively yield to facilitate.passage of cross seams and other irregularities in the fabric beneathithe presser foot.

.Qther objects and attendant advantages will appear from the detaileddescription which fol- .lows of the-attached drawings, wherein -Eig. Iis .a fragmentary view, partly in front elevation and .partly inlongitudinal-section, of .a sewing machine like-that of the-applicationsupra embodying-our improved press-er foot.

Fig. II is a view looking as .indicated by the arrows II-.II in Fig. I.

Fig. lIIisia plan sectional View taken as indi- -cat'ed:by the arrows IIL-II-I in Fig. I.

:Fig. IV is aninverted plan view looking as indicated 'by the arrows IV-IV in Fig.1. I 'Fig. V is a fragmentary top plan View of the presserfoot with certain of its appendages removed.

' FigxvI-i'san-exploded view in perspective, showing the presser footand various parts associated therewith.

Fig. VII is a fragmentary elevation of the presser foot corresponding toFig. I.

Figs. VIII, IX and X are views like Fig. VII showing the action of thepresser foot incident to passage therebeneath of a cross seam in thefabric.

Fig. XIis a cross sectional view takenas indicated bythe arrows XI-XI inV.

Fig. .XII is a View corresponding to XI showingthe fabric after thetrimming of its upstanding abutting edges.

:Figs. XIIIandZXIV arecross sectional views of the'presser foot taken asindicated respectively by the arrowsXIIL-XIII and XIV-XIV in Fig. V.

Fig. .XV isa View like Fig. XIII showing the action of thepresserjfootincident to passage therebeneath of different fabric thicknesses atopposite sides of the abutted margins.

Fig. XVI isaplanview of a supplemental presser plate forming part of thepresser foot, together with the-seaming needles.

Figs. XVII andXVIII are cross sections through the same formed with theneedles arranged as in Fig. XVI.

Figs. XIX, XX and XXI are views .corresponding to Figs. XVI, XVII andXVIII showing an alternative arrangement of the needles, and the seamresulting therefrom; and

Figs. XXII and XXIII-are views corresponding to Figs. XVI and XVIIIshowing another-alterna tive arrangement of the needles and theresulting seam.

With more specific reference to these illustrations, the :numeral lcomprehensively designates the .presser foot ofour invention, the samebeing longitudinally divided, with provision, between ,flat soleportions .Zand 3, of a slot 1 for passage of the abutted-upstandingmargins M, lVIof fabric F (Figs. IIIand XI-XIII) progressed forwardlyalong the work arm f the machine by the feed '40 ,dogs indicated at 6and lip Fig. I.

.Eulcrumed to swing about a transverse pin i2 within the hollow of thework supporting arm 5 at the frontendof the latter-,isanarm is whichcarries .a group of laterally-spaced seaming nee- .dles including acenter needle i i and a pair of transversely aligned flanking outerneedles it, Hi. In Figs. I, III-V and XVI, the flanking needles iii andit are placed ahead of the center needle Hi .in the direction :offeeding, which, in this instance,.is outwardofthe arm 5 as indicated by,an arrow in Fig. I. The needle carrying arm i3 is adapted to beoscillated about its fulcrum [2 by a.reciprocated'horizontal link il' sothat the needles l4-l6 pass through the fabric from .be-

neath. Cooperating respectively with the needles i4 and i5, it above thefabric, are loopers l8, l9 which are carried by an arm suitably actuatedto effect the required loop taking and needle avoiding movements of saidloopers. At its heel end, the presser foot I has an arched shank 2|which is secured by a screw 22 to the lower end of the vertical presserbar 23 of the machine, said bar having sliding guidance in a sleeve 25journaled for oscillation in the bottom of a fixed head 26 of themachine frame which overhangs the front end of the work supporting arm5. By a suitable relatively heavy spring, not shown, the presser bar 23is yieldingly urged downward to maintain the presser foot I in contactwith the fabric on the work arm 5, and is restrained against rotation bycoaction of a clevised lateral projection 21 of the shank 2| with aguide stud 28 pendant from the head 26.

In order that variations in the thickness of fabric advanced beneath thepresser foot may be automatically compensated for, the sole portions 2,3 of the latter are fitted with conformative shoes 29 and 30 fashionedfrom flexible sheet metal, having flat bottoms and upwardly turned toeends rounded as at 3!, 32 to conform with the upwardly curved toe endsof said sole portions and formed with inward lap projections 33, 34.From Figs. III, IV and VI it will be observed that the projections 33,34 have longitudinal notches 35, 36 which engage with studs 31, 38upstanding from the toe ends of the sole portions 2 and 3. The upturnedheel ends 39, 40 of the shoes are formed with inwardly directed lugs 4|,42 which loosely engage recesses 43, 44 in the tops of the sole portions2 and 3 at the heel ends of the latter, see Figs. III, V and VI. Atintervals along their lengths, the flat bottoms of the shoes 28 and 30are respectively formed with pressed-out longitudinal spring tongues 45and 46 which reach upward and engage the shoulders of transverserecesses 47 and 48 in the bottoms of the sole portions 2 and 3. Whenfully compressed as in Fig. I, the spring tongues 45, 46 are whollyaccommodated within the recesses 41, 48 with the flat bottoms of theshoes 29, 30 contacting with the bottoms of the soles 2 and 3. The inneredge of the toe end of the portion 3 of the presser foot is beveled asat 49, the angle of the bevel gradually approaching the horizontal andsaid bevel flaring in the direction of feed as at 49a and terminating ina point 50. With the bevel 49 cooperates a folding member 5| having theform of a bar with a bevel 52 complementary to the bevel 49, and alateral shank 53 slidingly engaging in a transverse guideway 54 of theportion 2 of the presser foot. A leaf spring 55 urges the folding memberinward yieldingly to turn over the upstanding abutted margins M, M ofthe fabric F laterally as shown in Figs. XI, XII and XIII flat insuperimposition upon said fabric. During advance of the fabric beneaththe presser foot I, its upstanding edge margins M, M are trimmed to aneven height by a pair of cooperating trimming blades 56, 51. The blade56 has dovetailed engagement with a transverse slot 58 in the portion 3of the presser foot in line with the shank 53 of the folding element 5|,and is secured in position by a clamp plate 59 having an angular cut atto deflect the trimmings laterally of the direction of feed. Thetrimming blade 5! is adjustably set in the downturned end of an arm 6|which is clamped to the oscillating sleeve 25 hereinbefore referred to.The blade 51 is flexible and curved concentrically with the axis of thesleeve 25 as shown in Fig. III,

and has a forward projection 62 which bears upon the top face of thefixed blade 56. As a consequence, the cutting edges 63 and 64 of thetrimming blades 56 and 51 are maintained in exact cutting alignmentvertically. Through oscillation of the sleeve 25 induced by suitablemeans not shown, the blade 51 is swung back and forth crosswise of theline! of feed, and, by cooperation with the fixed blade progressivelytrims the upturned edges M, M of the fabric F in a manner which will bereadily apparent from Fig. III. As shown in Fig. II, the cutting edge 63of the fixed blade 56 slightly overhangs the slot 4 through the presserfoot. The aft end of the slot 4 is occupied by a supplemental presserplate 65 which is provided with an aperture 66 for passage of theneedles I4--|6 and which has a cross pin 51 medially attached theretowith its ends engaging vertically open bearing notches 68 and 59 in thetops of the sole portions 2 and 3 of the presser foot. A double fingerspring 70 secured by a screw H within the arch of the presser foot shank2| has its ends curved to engage over the cross pin 61. As a result ofthis arrangement, the supplemental presser plate 55 is afforded thecapacity to move up and down as well as to pivot in respect to thepresser foot. The function of the supplemental presser plate 65 is tohold down the fabric margins M, M after they have been trimmed andturned over for presentation to the needles I l-I6 as shown in Fig. )HV,with the fold N guided by a recess 12 in the bottom of said plate. Theaperture 66 in the supplemental presser plate 65 it will be noted fromFigs. IIIVI and XVI has forwardly open longitudinal notches l4, l5 andI6 in the line of the needles I4, [5 and 46 with provision of a centraltongue 11 over which the looper loops are laid, said tongue beingrounded downwardly at its end to facilitate the release of said loops asthe fabric advances.

When the fabric along the opposing edge margins is of the samethickness, the resistance of the spring tongues 45, 46 of both shoes 29and 30 will be overcome by the heavier spring acting on the presser bar23, with the result that the sole portions 2 and 3 of the presser footbear full upon the flat portions of said shoes with the latter bearingin turn upon the fabric as in Figs. XIXIII. If, on the other hand, thefabric is thicker along one edge or reinforced by an additional fabric1layer as exemplified at F in Fig. XV, the presser foot will becorrespondingly lifted bodily, and the shoe 3!] independently forceddownward by its spring tongues 46 away from the sole portions 2 and 3,to hold down the single thickness fabric along the opposite edge. Duringpassage of cross seams or other irregularities in the fabric, the shoes29 and 30 function as shown in Figs. VIIIX, that is to say, they yieldto sinuous upward deflection as the cross seam or other irregularitytravels beneath them. Such action of the shoes 29 and 3G is possible byvirtue of the fact that they fit loosely over the sole portions 2 and 3of the presser foot and are therefore able to move up and down under theinfluence of their spring tongues 45 and 46 and to expand or contractlengthwise slightly as required, their detachment from the foot beingprevented through coaction of the longitudinal notches 35, 36 at theirtoe ends with the retaining studs 37, 38, and through coaction of thelugs 4 I, 42 at their heel ends within the keeper recesses 43 and 44 ofsaid presser foot.

With the needles arranged as in Figs. III, IV and XVI, the crosswiseconnecting loop L of a pair of outer needle loops, S and S formed duringone stitching cycle as in Fig. XVII, is overlapped by the looper loop :Lof the center needle loop S'during the succeeding'stitching cycle as inI Fig. XVIII.

By placing the central needle 14 in advance of the outer or flankingneedles t5 and It after the manner of Fig. XIX, the loop L of a centralneedle loop S, formed as in Fig. XX during one stitching cycle, iscovered :by the crosswise looper loop L of apair of outer needle loops S,"S formed duringithesucceeding stitching cycle as in Fig. XXI. For thelast described arrangement of the needles, the supplemental presserplate .55 '(Fig. XIX) is provided with a separate aperture 66a forpassage of the central needle 1'4.

By arranging all three needles it, 15 and t6 "abreast as in Fig. XXIIand employing a single looper to cooperate with them, the needle loopsS, S and S are concurrently connected crosswise during each stitchingcycle after the manner shown in Fig. XXIII. Thesupplemental presserplate '65 of Fig. XXII is like that of Fig. XVI except forlengthening'of the notch M for the central needle I4.

- looper loops L connecting the outer needle loops S S which passthrough the fabric immediately beyond the fold.

While we have herein disclosed our invention in a form which gives verysatisfactory service,

various modifications as to: details can of course be made within thescope of the appended claims. For example, instead of being integralwith the shoes 29 and 3d as hereinbefore described, the spring tongues45 and 46 may be separately made and attached; or again; coiled springsmay be substituted and accommodated within suitable recesses in thebottoms of the sole portions 2 and 301 the presser foot.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. A presser foot for sewing machines embodying means for laterallyfolding over upstanding abutted margins of juxtaposed advancing fabricportions both in the same direction fiat into superimposition upon eachother and upon one of the fabric portions; and independently yieldingmeans centrally of the presser foot to hold down the fold for stitching.

2. A'presser foot for sewing-machines embodying means for laterallyfolding over upstanding abutting margins of juxtaposed advancing fabricportions both in the same direction flat into superimposition upon eachother and upon one of the fabric portions; means for trimming the edgesof said margins before folding, and independently yielding meanscentrally of the presser foot to hold down the fold for stitching.

3. A presser foot for sewing machines having a longitudinal slot open atthe toe end to receive upstanding abutted margins of advancing fabric;

a laterally'yielding member with an inclined surfaceprogressively-decreasing in angularity toward the horizontal andcooperating with a complementally-configured surface along one edge ofthe slot to fold over the abutted margins flat into superimposition uponthe fabric; and independently yielding means to hold down the fold forstitching.

4. A presser foot for sewing machines having a longitudinal slot open atthe toe end to receive upstanding abutted margins of advancing fabric;

a member in the form of a bar with an inclined surface progressivelyincreasing in angularity toward the horizontal to cooperate with acomplementally-configured surface along one edge of the slot in foldingover the abutted margins fiat into superimposition upon fabric, saidmember having a lateral shank slidably guided in one side of the presserfoot; a spring bearing against the end of said shank to yieldingly urgethe folding member inward; and independently yielding means to hold downthe fold for stitching.

5. A presser foot for sewing machines having'a longitudinal slot open atthe toe end to receive upstanding abutted margins of juxtaposedadvancing fabric portions; means for laterally folding over the marginsboth in the same direction flat into superimposition upon each other andupon one of the fabric portions incident to ad- Vance in the slot; andindependently yielding means centrally of the presser foot to hold downthe fold for stitching.

6. Alpresser foot for sewing machines embodying means for laterallyfolding over upstanding abutted margins of juxtaposed advancing fabricportions both in the same direction flat into superimposition upon eachother and upon one of the fabric portions; and an independently-yieldingsupplemental presser plate centrally of the presser foot to hold downthe fold for stitching, said plate having an opening for a stitchingneedle adapted to pass through all three fabric thicknesses of the fold.

7. A presser foot for sewing machines embodying means for laterallyfolding over upstanding abutted margins of juxtaposed advancing fabricportions both in the same direction flat into superimposition upon eachother and upon one of the fabric portions; and an independently yieldingsupplemental presser plate centrally of the presser foot to hold downthe fold for stitching, said plate having an aperture for a group oflaterally-spaced needles including a central needle to pass through allthree fabric thicknesses at the fold, and a pair of outer needles topass through the fabric respectively at opposite sides of the fold.

8. A presser foot for sewing machines embodying means for laterallyfolding over upstanding abutted margins of advancing fabric flat intosuperimposition upon the fabric; and an inde pendently yieldingsupplemental presser plate to hold down the fold for stitching, saidplate having an aperture with longitudinal notches open forwardly in thedirection of feed respectively for a central needle to pass through allthree fabric thicknessesat the fold, and a pair of outer needles offsetin the line of feed to penetrate the fabric respectively at oppositesides of the fold.

9. A presser foot for sewing machines embodying means for laterallyfolding over upstanding abutted margins of advancing fabric fiat intosuperimposition upon the fabric; and an independently yieldingsupplemental presser plate to hold down the fold for stitching. saidplate having an aperture with longitudinal notches forwardly open in thedirection of feed for a group of transversely aligned needles, includinga central needle to penetrate all three fabric thicknesses at the fold,and a pair of outer needles to penetrate the fabric at opposite sides ofthe fold.

10. A presser foot for sewing machines embodying means for laterallyfolding over upstanding abutted margins of juxtaposed advancing fabricportions both in the same direction flat into superimposition upon oneof the fabric portions;

and an independently yielding supplemental presser plate to hold downthe fold for stitching, said plate having capacity for vertical as wellas pivotal movement tofacilitate passage thereunder of cross seams inthe fabric.

11. A presser foot for sewing machines comprising a sole portion; and anassociated fabricengaging shoe capable of independent vertical movementbodily, said shoe having its opposite ends loosely engaging over thecorresponding ends of the presser foot; and spring meansintegrally-formed with the shoe and tending to urge it downward of thepresser foot.

12. A presser foot for sewing machines comprising a sole portion; and anassociated fabricengaging shoe capable of independent vertical movementbodily, said shoe being fashioned from flexible sheet metal with itsopposite ends turned upward and toward each other to loosely engage overthe ends of the presser foot, and having upwardly punched-out springtongues at intervals longitudinally thereof to react against the bottomof the sole portion.

13. A presser foot for sewing machines comprising a sole portion; and anassociated fabricengaging shoe capable of independent vertical movementbodily, said shoe being fashioned from flexible metal with its oppositeends turned upward and toward each other to loosely engage over the endsof the presser foot, and having upwardly punched-out spring tongues atintervals longitudinally thereof engaging shoulders of transversereceiving recesses in the bottom of the sole portion.

14. A presser foot for sewing machines comprising a sole portion; anassociated fabric-engaging shoe capable of independent vertical movementbodily with its ends turned upward and toward each other to engageloosely over the ends of the presser foot, the inwardly-turned portionat the toe end of the shoe being longitudinally notched to engage aretaining stud upstanding from the toe end of the presser foot, and theinwardly turned portion at the heel end engaging a retaining notch atthe top of the presser foot heel; and spring means tending to urge theshoe downward of the presser foot.

15. A presser foot for sewing machines comprising a sole portion; and anassociated shoe capable of independent vertical movement bodily, saidshoe being fashioned from flexible metal with its ends turned upward andtoward each other to engage loosely over the ends of the presser foot,the inwardly-directed terminal portion at the toe end of the shoe havinga longitudinal notch engaging a retaining stud upstanding from the toeend of the presser foot, and the inwardly-turned terminal portion at theheel end engaging a retaining notch in the top of the presser foot heel,and said shoe formed with punched out upward spring tongues at intervalslongitudinally thereof to react against the bottom of the presser foot.

16. A presser foot for sewing machines comprising sole portions atopposite sides of a longitudinal slot to receive upstanding abuttedmargins of advancing fabric; and respectively associated shoes capableof independent vertical movement bodily and having their ends looselyengaging over the corresponding ends of the soles of the presser foot;and spring means tending to urge the shoes downward of said soleportions.

17. A presser foot for sewing machines comprising sole portions atopposite sides of a 1ongitudinal slot to receive upstanding abuttedmargins of advancing fabric; and respectively associated fabric engagingshoes capable of independent vertical movement bodily, said shoes beingfashioned from flexible metal with their ends turned upward and towardeach other to loosely engage over the corresponding ends of the soleportions of the presser foot, and having spring tongues upwardly offsetat intervals lengthwise thereof to react against the bottoms of saidsole portions.

18. A presser foot for sewing machines comprising sole portions atopposite sides of a longitudinal slot to receive upstanding abuttedmargins of advancing fabric; respectively associated fabric-engagingshoes capable of independent vertical movement bodily, said shoes beingfashioned from flexible metal with their ends turned upward and towardeach other to engage loosely over the corresponding ends of the presserfoot, the inwardly-turned terminal portions at the toe ends of saidshoes being longitudinally notched to engage retaining studs upstandingfrom the tops of the shoes of the sole portions, and the inwardly-turnedterminal portions at the heel ends engaging retaining recesses in thetops of the heel of the sole portions; and spring means tending to urgethe shoes downward of said sole portions.

19. A presser foot for sewing machines comprising sole portions atopposite sides of a longitudinal slot to receive upstanding abuttedmargins of advancing fabric; and respectively associated fabric-engagingshoes capable of independent vertical movement bodily, said shoes beingfashioned from flexible metal with their ends turned upward and inwardtoward each other to engage loosely over the corresponding ends of thepresser foot, the inward terminal portions at the toe ends of said shoesbeing 1ongitudinally notched to engage retaining studs upstanding fromthe tops of the shoes of the sole portions, and the inward terminalportions at the heel ends engaging retaining recesses in the tops of theheels of the sole portions, and said shoes having upwardly punched-outspring tongues at intervals longitudinally thereof to react against thebottoms of said sole portions.

20. A presser foot for sewing machines comprising sole portions atopposite sides of a longitudinal slot to receive upstanding abuttedmargins of advancing fabric; and respectively associated fabric-engagingshoes capable of independent vertical movement bodily, said shoes beingfashioned from flexible metal with their ends turned upward and towardeach other to engage loosely over the corresponding ends of the presserfoot, the inward terminal portions at the toe ends of said shoes beinglongitudinally notched to engage retaining studs upstanding from thetops of the toes of the sole portions, and the inwardly turned terminalportions at the heel ends engaging retaining recesses in the tops of theheels of the sole portions, and said shoes having upwardly punched-outspring tongues at intervals longitudinally thereof with their endsengaging the shoulders of transverse recesses in the bottoms of saidsole portions.

HANS HACKLANDER. HAROLD J. LE VESCONTE.

